


the day you returned and said goodbye

by cheese_gimbap



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, dachaetzu causing chaos, jeongyeon getting flustered every five seconds, squint samo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:41:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29112489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheese_gimbap/pseuds/cheese_gimbap
Summary: Jeongyeon kept all these practiced confessions and suppressed so much feelings for years and object of these unsaid truths returns after years of absence. Jeongyeon still couldn't find the perfect time to confess, nor have the courage to do so but maybe Chaeyoung and Dahyun can help her.
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Yoo Jeongyeon
Comments: 9
Kudos: 66





	the day you returned and said goodbye

In a nondescript town somewhere quite far from the buzzing city of Seoul, where the fields were vast and green, and the roads were rough; where the time move slow and the houses were warm; where the bus arrived in every three-hour interval; where the considered downtown was not as crowded as the city, though it’s festive enough to not look a bit dull. 

Living in a town this tiny where everyone in the village knew each other’s business, it’s pretty much hard to hide something, let alone keeping someone’s arrival in hush. 

Jeongyeon heard Nayeon was back in town for the first time ever since she left after graduating high school. Rumors said she moved to Seoul and studied film, someone said its literature and she also heard Nayeon became an engineer. She was not really sure. So the whole village was talking. The daughter of the richest man in town, the one who used to rule their school, the prettiest girl this small village had ever seen, she’s here and she arrived through the 10:15 a.m bus schedule, apparently carrying a red luggage and a book written in English. 

The security guard at the terminal saw her. Then he told the janitor who told the man waiting for his grandson to return after his military enlistment. His daughter then told the ever friendly Mrs. Choi when she bumped into her while buying rice cakes right outside the station. The rice cake vendor told Mrs. Kim, who had a store in the wet market who told her patron customer, Mr. Kwon, an old man who owned the laundromat. Jinyoung was on his third basket folding his sweater when he heard the news and he passed by the only pharmacy in town, owned by Dahyun’s mother, Jihyo. He bought vitamins and told her about Nayeon. So when Jeongyeon came to the pharmacy after fetching Dahyun from school, Jihyo told her, now weighing her reaction. 

“Oh. That’s good to hear, I guess.” Dahyun ran around the pharmacy, high aisles concealed her. A few seconds later, she returned holding a pack of chocopie, again. Jeongyeon opened it for her as she spaced out, “Are you going to talk to her this time, Jeong?”

She was not sure if she could even speak the moment she might bump into Nayeon. Maybe she would just run away and pretend she didn’t see her or just avoid her to begin with so she didn’t have to worry about awkward interaction like that. Well, she did survive high school with minimal interaction with her so how would it be difficult for her to do it this time?

AND, Why would she ‘talk to her this time?’ it’s not necessary and Jeongyeon intended to keep it that way.

Dahyun happily munched into her favorite snack. “Mom! Did you buy the food we will sell for the fair?” Jihyo was doing inventory, in the middle of organizing boxes of medicines. “What fair?”

Just like that, Dahyun’s twinkling eyes faded as she slowly put down her pie, betrayal painted all over her face. “MOM!” Jihyo looked at Jeongyeon for help but she really didn’t know. “Why are you looking at me? I’m just the designated driver!” How was she supposed to know the school activities of Dahyun? It's not like that’s her child! Jihyo’s going to hell for this. 

“How come you didn’t know about this?” Jeongyeon was practically yelling over Dahyun’s loud cries and sniffles. “Mommy is bad! I hate mommy!” She whined and cried some more, now throwing a fit, moping on the floor. It’s ringing Jeongyeon’s ears and thank god Jihyo picked up her kid and did her mother voodoo to shut her up. 

“Mommy was just kidding! Haha.” Dahyun’s tears stopped flowing but she didn’t speak to her mother for the past fifteen minutes so Jihyo had to improvise. “Really?”

“Yes, of course!” Dahyun wiped her snot, the glare and petulance slowly fading. “So mommy remembered that she will be coming to the fair too?” Jihyo’s face says it all. She didn’t know and didn’t remember and she couldn’t come to Dahyun’s school fair. What an awful mother. 

“No.”

“Aww! Come on, Jeong! I can’t go to the fair! This meeting is really important and I have to be there.” Jihyo was shaking her right arm while they walked back to the Park’s house. Dahyun was ahead of them, happily running holding a chocolate bar she stole from the pharmacy. 

Jeongyeon couldn’t believe this. “A meeting more important than your child?” Jihyo took a double take and rebutted. “Well, I’m coming to that meeting to keep the pharmacy running, so it means Dahyun is important.”

“Ugh. Fine! And how are we supposed to tell your child when you outright just lied to her face? She’s right, you are a bad mom.” Jihyo pouted and watched Dahyun run towards them when she saw their neighbor walking their dog again. “Mom! There’s a dog! Help!” 

Jihyo hoisted her up and carried Dahyun all the way to their porch. “I’ll just tell her over dinner, she’ll understand.” Jeongyeon was about to protest but Jihyo already walked inside. “Yes. Thank you again for your help, Jeong!” 

The door’s loud bang hit her face. What did she get herself into?

* * *

Jeongyeon swore her face was about to fall off. She rubbed her hands on her face, checking if they were still intact. Babysitting was never fun. Chaeyoung and Dahyun set their food aside, the former was busy scribbling on her diary, “I want strawberries. We should make food with strawberries, Dahyunnie.” The latter was busy admiring the doodles of her friend. This fair just got worse than she thought. Dahyun missed to mention that she had a pair and it was Chaeyoung. A child so creative and imaginative. But the thing… they were supposed to sell food.

“Auntie, you make bread right?” Chaeyoung innocently asked Jeongyeon, holding a pink crayon. Her dimple was showing. Aw, it was too cute for Jeongyeon not to pinch her cheek and nod. “Then you can bring us those things!” Chaeyoung raised her diary and showed Jeongyeon her planned recipe. 

“What things?” Jeongyeon couldn’t decipher what Chaeyoung wanted. The drawing was quite bizarre, she could just assume the pink colored shapes were strawberries. She blabbered about the bread that looked soft and chewy. Almost all breads were soft and chewy. She said it’s a bread but not shaped as bread, Chaeyoung eventually described it tasted like a cake. “Like pretzels with strawberries. Can you help us auntie?” Jeongyeon chuckled and ruffled their hair. “Yes, I think I can.” 

Maybe… not. 

It was a complete and utter disaster. When Chaeyoung said she wanted to make a pretzel with strawberries, Jeongyeon thought the strawberries were just part of garnishing. So when Jeongyeon brought them to the bakery with her, and taught them how to make dough from scratch, Dahyun started to complain. “What are we doing, auntie? We just need that bread.” She pointed at the top shelf. It’s a loaf freaking bread. 

All this time, they wanted to make strawberry rolls using loaf bread. They saw it on t.v. one time and they wanted to try it. But Chaeyoung seemed to forget what she wanted to sell, she was having fun beating the dough with the rolling pin, molding them into shapes and animals. 

**On the day of the fair…**

The disadvantages of strawberry rolls were first, they wanted it to be made fresh. It’s the midgets' request to make it on the d-day so they could show it to Chaeyoung’s ‘friend’,Tzuyu. “Auntie! We have to cook it there or else Tzuyu won’t believe we did it.” Chaeyoung whined when Jeongyeon suggested preparing the rolls the night before the fair. Second, Dahyun and Chaeyoung’s hands were not as nimble as the video they saw, the presentation of the strawberry rolls was not appetizing. And lastly, Chaeyoung had been stealing strawberries for the past hour while Dahyun was drinking the chocolate syrup dip like it’s water. 

“Jeongyeon!” She turned to the source of the voice and it’s Momo carrying a large container, with Sana and Tzuyu trailing closely behind. She set their things on the booth beside dubchaeng and walked to peek at their product. “Are you babysitting these two again?” Jeongyeon’s exasperated sigh was enough to answer. 

Momo met Dahyun’s chocolate smudged smile and Chaeyoung’s stuffed face. They held the small tray together and offered the disastrous rolls. “Aunt Momo, please try this! We did it ourselves!”

Jeongyeon snickered when Momo eyed the rolls with quivering eyes. She couldn’t possibly resist Dahyun and Chaeyoung's expectant gaze, not when these two were doing cute kitten eyes. “Oh, a-alright. Auntie Momo will try them. How much?”

“5 bucks!” Momo paid them and the midgets excitedly packed the rolls. Gulping loudly, she swallowed the deformed rolls that looked like a trapezoid. Momo didn’t even chew them and smiled at them, it was forced and pained grimace. “Wow that was delicious.”

Dubchaeng excitedly jumped in their booth. Jeongyeon shook her head and whispered, “Please go get medicine, you might get a stomach ache in an hour or two.” Momo went to her wife and hugged her from behind. “Babe, i think my days here are numbered.” Sana frowned and stopped chopping fruits. “What are you talking about?”

Tzuyu confusedly stared at Momo when she kneeled and held her shoulders. “Please take good care of your mom for me, okay?” Sana slapped her arm and threw the apron on Momo instead. “Just help us set the booth.” 

Momo opened a bottle of water and chugged it down. She never drank water voluntarily. “Mommy, are you sick?” Tzuyu asked Momo as she piled the mochi with her. “No, at least not yet. But please, baby, don’t eat dubchaeng strawberry rolls okay?”

The sign above their booth kept on falling off, so Jeongyeon had to tape it every five minutes. (The midgets wrote the sign with Chaeyoung’s doodles while Dahyun did the lettering.) Jeongyeon was cutting pieces of loaf bread for the brats to use when Tzuyu went to their booth, skeptically watching Dahyun and Chaeyoung failing to make the rolls edible.

“You,”

They looked up and Jeongyeon watched the two light up and opened the rack. “Look at this Tzuyu! WE made it.” Dahyun carefully picked two pieces and put it in a bag. Chaeyoung shoved the bag towards the other kid. Tzuyu’s brows were scrunched up as she grabbed the first piece, inspecting it thoroughly. Dahyun went out of the booth and attempted to wrap her arm around Tzuyu’s shoulders but she was too tall so she tapped them instead. “Eh, we will give it to you for free. Don’t wo-”

Tzuyu looked at her dead in the eye, “I’m not gonna eat that. It looks ugly.” left the bag and returned to their own booth. Chaeyoung bit her lip, holding back tears. She ran to their booth and returned the bag to Tzuyu. Sana beamed at the small girl. “What is this Chaeyoungie?”

“I made these! They are not ugly. They are delicious!” Sana hummed and opened the bag. Jeongyeon crossed her arms, making x sign at her. Sana, god bless her soul, distracted Chaeyoung by giving her chocolate fruit crepe instead. “Because you are a good girl. Thank you for this, Chaengie.” She squeezed her cheeks and winked at Jeongyeon, quickly hiding the bag underneath the booth. 

Chaeyoung had long forgotten Tzuyu’s nitpicking on her strawberry rolls, but Dahyun seemed to have taken it to her heart. She’s been staring at their rack for almost thirty minutes now, playing with them using the tongs. “Auntie?” Jeongyeon gave her a small hum. “Our dubchaeng rolls are delicious right?” Well to be fair it tasted alright. But it just looked terrible. Jeongyeon hadn’t felt anything weird yet and no customer returned to complain so she guessed these two were doing fine. 

“Uh. Yes. it’s delicious, Dahyunie.” Dahyun only sighed and pouted. “Then why no one is buying?” She slowly turned to Tzuyu’s booth and saw the taller girl smirking evilly as she served up another wrap of crepe. Chaeyoung was chewing with her mouth open, comforting her friend. “It’s okay Dubs, people will buy our dubchaeng rolls.” Just how fast kids change their mood?

Tzuyu watched Dahyun’s face go even longer while she gloated, fanning the bundle of money Momo counted. Sana and Momo raised a spawn of the devil. 

“Hey, what’s with the sad face?” Jihyo screamed from afar. Jeongyeon was facing back while she chopped pieces of bread. “Well, the dubchaeng rolls are flopping.” Jeongyeon shook in laughter. Chaeyoung was talking gibberish while Dahyun whined to her mother. 

When Jeongyeon turned around, the tray she was holding almost fell, Im Nayeon was there, standing in front of their booth, looking gorgeous as always, chuckling at whatever nonsense Dahyun was spouting. “Oh by the way, you two say hi to auntie Nayeon.” 

“Hi, auntie.” The duo greeted in sync. Chaeyoung dropped her crepe and wide eyed stared at her. Jeongyeon quickly set the tray on the table before her shaking hand would eventually topple them all down. “Aunt Nayeon is so pretty.”

Nayeon laughed and ran inside their booth to snuggle Chaeyoung. “You are very sweet Chaeng!” Dahyun watched them still sad about their rolls. “How about you, Dahyun? What do you think of me?”

Dahyun looked at her briefly and bashfully averted her gaze. “Very pretty.” Nayeon squealed and pinched her cheeks. Dahyun smiled and touched her sore cheeks. Chaeyoung opened their rack and stole the tongs from Dahyun’s grasp. She put three dubchaeng rolls on a plate and served it up. “But auntie Nayeon will become even prettier if she will buy our dubchaeng rolls!”

Jeongyeon’s eyes widened, she eyed Jihyo and gave her an eye signal. But the little shit just wiggled her brows and mouthed. “You tell her.” 

Nayeon was now looking at the rolls, clearly she’s appalled. Jeongyeon knew she wore her emotions on her sleeves. But she quickly masked it with a bright smile. “Hmm, you have to convince me first.”

Chaeyoung blinked rapidly, confused. “Uh, strawberry?” She raised her hands and formed a small little heart. Nayeon squealed and pulled her cheeks apart. Dahyun, on the other hand, was still affected by Tzuyu’s review, pushed the plate closer. “Auntie, what’s important is not the outside, but what is the inside.” Chaeyoung quickly nodded and muttered affirmations. “And strawberry!”

Nayeon sighed and grabbed a single piece. “Alright-”

“Please don’t eat it.” Nayeon was about to take a bite. She tilted her head and looked at Jeongyeon’s way. “What?” Jeongyeon was growing antsy. God, the Im Nayeon was about to eat the dubchaeng rolls. “Just look at it.”

Nayeon only gave her a small smile and asked the two little devils instead, “auntie Jeongyeon don’t want me to eat it though?”

“Eat it!” Chaeyoung cheered her on. Dahyun’s quivering lips and teary eyes were persuasive enough, Nayeon ate one piece of dubchaeng roll. Momo’s on the other booth watching the whole thing turn out, Nayeon didn’t speak a word and just kept on chewing, scrutinizing its taste.

“Hmm.” She chewed a little too dramatically, rubbing her chin, her eyes squinting, glancing teasingly on the two midgets. Their eyes were glassy and bright with anticipation.

Everyone held their breath. Nayeon finished the whole roll and gave them a thumbs up. “That was delicious!” Chaeyoung and Dahyun happily danced in their booth, Chaeyoung smugly pointed at Tzuyu who was sitting silently in their booth. “You heard that Tzuyu? It tastes good. HA!”

The taller girl only stared at her with a straight face. “Adults are good at lying.” Sana laughed and ruffled Tzuyu’s hair. 

\---

Momo was freaking out the whole time. She and Jeongyeon actually. 

“Oh my god, Nayeon ate the rolls too! Jihyo, your child fed THE Nayeon that horrible food!” Momo shook Jihyo’s shoulders. Sana just laughed it off and told Jihyo about Momo’s terrible experience and paranoia. 

“Nayeon knows my name.” Jeongyeon gently whispered. Momo was busy yapping about feeling ill and scared. Sana’s resounding laugh, drowning Jeongyeon’s voice and Jihyo’s even louder voice covering it up. 

Jeongyeon slammed the chopping board so hard. “Guys! I said, Nayeon knows my name!”   
  


Momo stopped talking and slowly met Jihyo’s eyes. The latter just shrugged. “Yeah, cool. Nayeon knows your name. So what? I almost died, Jeongyeon!” 

No, they didn’t understand her. “Well- We- I- She didn’t know me. We never spoke in high school, how the hell does she know my name?”

Jihyo rolled her eyes and hit her head with the spatula Momo was holding. “We were classmates in high school, Jeong. Of course she knows you.”

Jeongyeon stopped cutting bread pieces and leaned against the booth’s frame, watching the children running around the field. Momo stole pieces and asked, “How did you even manage to drag her here?” Sana had returned from washing their containers and now joined their small circle. “I saw her downtown and we talked a little then invited her here.” Sana hummed, squeezed her way between Jeongyeon and Momo, wrapping her arms around her wife’s waist. “It’s been a while since she’s been here so might as well give her a little peek of the town’s festivities.” 

All Jeongyeon could reply was a very deep sigh. Chaeyoung was running around laughing, she’s holding something small but it glistened and reflected against Jeongyeon’s eyes. This broke her from the Nayeon trance. “Hey Chaeyoung! What are you holding?!”

Dahyun stopped running, looking around, Tzuyu caught up and stopped too, Chaeyoung pointed to herself and happily raised the shining object. “Oh, this? It’s a knife!” Then she bolted away.

“NO!” 

They quickly dispersed and chased after the little demon. “Chaeyoung! Comeback here!” They four of them ran to catch Chaeyoung but the child was quick and her stamina was insanely high. Jeongyeon was panting, she almost caught her, she felt the strands of her coconut hair but the midget sped up like she had nitro. She even turned around and stuck her tongue out. 

This is a big problem but it brought back some memories to Jeongyeon.

_ One summer in eleventh grade, Momo was running around, while Jeongyeon chased her with the bug she picked up while they were on cleaning duty. Momo hated bugs, anything that crawled that’s not a dog, actually. The halls were busy with everyone cleaning, Jeongyeon ran faster to catch Momo, she took a quick turn to their classroom. “You’re doomed, Hirai!” _

_ Jeongyeon loudly slid the door open, only to see Nayeon staring right at her, with Momo standing behind her. “Nayeon, help me! Jeongyeon was scaring me with that bug and she kept on chasing me!” She slowly hid the bug behind her, now turning bashful. Nayeon wordlessly pushed Momo away and sat on her seat again. “Not now, Momo. I’m busy.” _

_ The room was already empty, Nayeon was alone until Momo barged in. She was reading a book. Jeongyeon was all red, leaving the room, throwing the bug off the windows, running for her life. She felt like she just walked into something very personal to Nayeon. _

They caught Chaeyoung when she tumbled upon Nayeon, cornered her near the water fountains. She was holding a small canvas and a set of paints. Jeongyeon was panting when she arrived, overheard the two talking. “Your mom told me you love painting.”

Chaeyoung excitedly nodded. Nayeon held out her hand. “Then give me that thing and I’ll give you these.” Without missing a beat, the demon gave it to her and happily hugged the canvas. Nayeon smiled brightly, turning to her. “Oh, there you are.” She waved the knife.

“I- uh. Thank you.” They were back in the booth now, Chaeyoung was a little busy. She was already painting on the canvas, complete forgetting the fair. Jihyo was now selling the rolls with Dahyun. “That’s nothing. I got those from the art booth.”

Jeongyeon watched Nayeon staring at Chaeyoung with fascination. She wouldn’t have thought talking like this to her. Not in a million years. 

* * *

“Wait, that’s it?!”

Jeongyeon flinched. Tzuyu snickered beside her at the backseat. Momo shook her head in disappointment while Sana eyed her angrily through the rear view mirror. “How dry, Jeongie.”

Sana scolded Jeongyeon when she said she didn’t even get Nayeon’s number. “Are you dumb? I even got her number and we didn’t even talk.” Momo now turned to her wife, questioning. “YOU asked for her number?”

Sana cleared her throat and shrugged, glancing at the side mirror before taking a quick left turn. “No big deal, of course I’d ask for our long lost classmate’s phone number.”

Momo scoffed in disbelief and inched closer to her. “Oh yeah? Ain’t she your ex crush or something?”

“Oh my god, Momoring. Nayeon was EVERYONE’S crush in high school. Get over with.” Well, for Jeongyeon’s case, she might still be her crush after all these years. It sounded stupid, but it could be the fact that Jeongyeon never told her what she felt that’s why she kept on harboring these untold confessions of love and years of unrequited love. How could someone reciprocate your love if they didn’t know you loved them in the first place?

Sana stopped arguing with her wife when Momo seemed to accept the fact that Sana just asked for Nayeon’s phone number and it was nothing malicious. “Don’t you have something to say to her, Jeongyeon?”

_ Maybe she does. _

But it’s long overdue. It’s been years and she didn’t see the relevance and the reason for telling Nayeon. “It’s pointless. It’s been ages.”

“But you still like her, don’t you?” Momo pressed.

Jeongyeon used to think so but after hearing Sana and Momo arguing, she’s uncertain now. Did she really like Nayeon for years or was she fascinated by the fact that she liked someone from far away and no one had ever come close to her? Did she really like her until today or was it because she wasn’t able to confess what she felt, although not liking her with that intensity anymore, Jeongyeon felt that she still likes her?

All she replied was a simple, “Maybe, I don’t really know.”

Momo turned to her, pulling the seatbelt. “ _ Maybe? You don’t really know?!  _ May I remind you about your little freaking out because.. What was it? Ah, yes, SHE KNOWS YOUR NAME?!”

Sana stepped on the brakes when they arrived at the bakery. “Wait, didn’t you say Nayeon knew Chaeyoung loves painting from her mother?” 

Momo turned to her wife, eyes widening. Tzuyu was staring at her moms in confusion. “That means…” They snapped towards Jeongyeon and screamed, “She still talks with Myoui Mina?”

Jeongyeon covered her ears and flinched. She didn’t have time for this. “Thanks for the ride.” She opened the door and briskly walked in the bakery. The chimes reverberating tinkle mingled with Jeongyeon’s deep sigh. 

Those idiots’ theory was not far fetched. Myoui Mina used to date Nayeon in the past or so the whole school population thought. They were always together, they did things almost always together, but neither of the two confirmed nor denied anything. It’s just implied that they probably have something going on and everyone minded their business. This also meant that everyone could confess to them but also expect that you’d get rejection. 

That was probably why Jeongyeon couldn’t muster the courage to confess to begin with. It’s Myoui Mina versus the peasants, the odds of winning against her was out of the equation. No, she was not making an excuse for herself, Jeongyeon was telling the truth. 

Jeongyeon left the bakery and went home. She took the bus and walked, her house was quite far from the stop. It’s great because she needed a breather and walking helped her think things through. She would be lying if she’d say that what Sana and Momo said about Nayeon didn’t bother her. The sun was long gone. The black skies were streaked with faint orange and pink. The town’s slowly rid of people. That’s another thing about a small town like this, when it started to get dark, residents would be rushing to get home early. 

Another deep sigh escaped her lips, walking on the gravelled path way with her head hung low as another rush of memory she long hidden resurfaces. 

_ Jeongyeon stared at the long line on the newly bought vendo machine then back to her dusty loafers. Everyone was raving and couldn’t wait to buy something from the new contraption. Momo and Sana kept on pushing the people in front and now they earned some yelling, pushing them further back. “Aw, come on! Just let us through!” Momo pushed again only to get glowered by that tall bully.  _

_ Now they have to wait longer and with only one vending machine for the whole school population, Jeongyeon could only wish there would still be banana milk left by the time the line shortens. And that would only happen if that machine’s already emptied out.  _

_ Suddenly the long line parted like the red sea, then there was Mina smiling timidly and excused themselves, while Nayeon just walked straight ahead. They bought the drinks everyone wanted: the banana and strawberry milk.  _

_ “See? I told you, pretty privilege exists, Momoring.” Sana sighed and gulped, eyeing the strawberry milk Mina was sipping, while Nayeon held an extra banana milk on her right hand, sipping another one on her left.  _

_ They watched the line turn into a riot after Mina and Nayeon left and decided to just buy the banana milk tomorrow.  _

_ Jeongyeon left Sana and Momo arguing in the middle of the hall and just went inside their room. It’s empty or so she thought. Nayeon was sitting on the window sill at the very back, still sipping her banana milk, the wind hitting her face, strands of hair flowing behind her and all Jeongyeon could do was stand by the door. She couldn’t move her feet at all. Nayeon was too dazzling, it’s embarrassing you’d never hear her say that out loud.  _

_ Nayeon turned to her and hopped off the window, walked past and gently shoved the carton on her hand before going out of their room.  _

That was weird, but Jeongyeon sure enjoyed the banana milk that day. 

* * *

Jeongyeon might have known Chaeyoung while babysitting Dahyun almost all the time but she was not that close to Mina. They rarely talked aside from the simple hi and hellos, or when they bumped into each other around the town and offered kind smiles, or, just like today, when they drop by the bakery to buy some bread. 

Of course, they would buy bread in here, it’s a freaking bakery.

Chaeyoung, a total chatterbox, you wouldn’t think Myoui Mina gave birth to a child like this. She was the complete opposite of her mother.

“And you know, mom, I think auntie Jeongyeon will give me this bread for free. Auntie Nayeon said no one can resist my dimples. Just watch.” Mina just laughed at her child’s shenanigans as Chaeng walked up to the counter, flashing a toothless grin, showing her killer dimples. 

Jeongyeon faked a yawn and grabbed the tray she was holding, punching it into the machine. “Now call your mom so you can pay for this and leave.” Chaeyoung stomped her foot and groaned. “Aw, but auntie said this will work!”

Mina gave Jeongyeon her card and smiled apologetically. “She has been hanging around Nayeon yesterday and now she’s a changed person.”

Jeongyeon smiled while packing the bread carefully. “Oh, so she… uh, live in your house?”  _ Act cool, Jeongyeon. Pretend you’re not that interested yeah yeah cool.  _ Mina shrugged and held the paper bag while holding Chaeyoung’s hand on her right. “No, she’s back at their house.”

“Ah, I see.”

They bid goodbye before Chaeyoung could even think they would need a whole baguette for dinner. 

Jihyo invited her to have lunch at their house. That has been their Saturday routine. SInce Jeongyeon lived alone with her cat, Dahyun thought it would be very ‘lonely’ for her to keep on dining all by herself. Now, Jeongyeon was on her way to their house, not quite far from hers really. 

She slowed her steps when she noticed a second car parked right in front of their house. Jihyo got some visitors? She dug her pocket to text Jihyo when she felt something hit her legs. It was Dahyun and she clung onto her jeans like a koala. “Auntie Jeongyeon! Let’s eat, come on!”

Struggling to get inside their house with Dahyun clinging on her right leg, Jeongyeon made her way to the kitchen and wished she hadn’t. Nayeon was there, in the middle of tasting the stew and Jeongyeon? She was on the verge of kicking Dahyun and running back to her house. “Oh, hey!”

Jihyo glanced at her and Jeongyeon would surely find time to erase that smug, teasing smile she just sent to her right now. 

She gave Nayeon an awkward smile and helped Jihyo in chopping the vegetables. “You failed to mention we have a company, Hyo!” Jeongyeon harshly whispered. Jihyo only shrugged and poured the shredded vegetables on the boiling soup. “You’re welcome, Jeongyeon.”

As if it was enough that Jihyo practically ambushed her today, the idiot made an excuse that she’s needed at the pharmacy and left Dahyun under their care. “Since you two are not busy at all,” Jeongyeon opened her mouth to protest but Dahyun shoved the chewiest gum she’d ever tasted and beamed at her, Nayeon nodded and happily accepted Jihyo’s little favor. 

“I feel like my jaw is going to break.” Jeongyeon complained to Dahyun. Nayeon chuckled and hit her arm. “Hahahahaha! You are so funny!” God, she hoped Nayeon wouldn’t notice the pink tint painting Jeongyeon’s cheeks. 

Dahyun was watching the whole interaction, tilting her head sidewards. “Aunties, are you like Tzuyu’s moms?”

Jeongyeon spat out the gum and quickly covered the midget’s mouth. With quivering eyes she turned to Nayeon who was also frozen but she asked, “I- what do you mean?” Dahyun removed Jeongyeon’s hand and innocently replied. “Tzuyu’s moms look at each other like  **that** .”

Nayeon scooted closer and pried. “Like what?” Jeongyeon was feeling hot. Did Jihyo turn off the ac or something? 

“Like Auntie Momo is a really big marshmallow, auntie Sana looks at her like she’s really delicious.” Jeongyeon was sweating bullets, she’s gonna pass out anytime soon. Nayeon snorted and smiled. “Okay? What else?” Dahyun hummed and scratched her head. “Auntie Momo stares at Auntie Sana like- like she’s Santa Claus? Because Chaeyoung and I looked like that Santa when we met him at the mall last year.” 

That was an absurd explanation. Jeongyeon scowled and scooped Dahyun. “Alright time for power nap.” Nayeon stood and followed them to Dahyun’s room. “Wait.” Jeongyeon was helping the midget to get comfortable under the covers when Nayeon asked, “Who stares like she’s Momo and who stares like Sana?”

Jeongyeon’s eyes widened and pushed nayeon outside. “Yeah, Good night Dahyun- I mean good afternoon. Sweet dreams.” She shut the door and heaved successive deep sighs. Nayeon crossed her arms, evilly smirking.  _ Holy shit that’s hot.  _

“So Momo and Sana literally just got psychoanalyzed by a child, comparing them to marshmallows and Santa claus. Huh.” Jeongyeon walked past her and chuckled albeit paled. “Yeah, ha ha.” 

Nayeon was getting smug, Jeongyeon could feel it. “And Dahyun implied WE are like them.” Jeongyeon released a very shaky breath when Nayeon wiggled her brows while sipping her soda. 

Jeongyeon needed air, she needed something to drink. She scanned the coffee table and grabbed the nearest water bottle and drank it, crumpling the bottle as she emptied it. “Do you like me, Yoo Jeongyeon?” 

She sputtered the water and coughed, punching her chest, turning red while wheezing for her life. Nayeon guffawed and offered her some tissues, now sitting beside her while rubbing her back. Jeongyeon was not sure if it was possible but she felt like some water got stuck in her throat again and the coughing intensified. 

“Are you okay?” Nayeon asked while suppressing her giggles. Jeongyeon was gasping for air, nodding frantically. 

Nayeon leaned back, smugly resting her arms behind her head. “You could’ve at least tried not to be that obvious, Yoo Jeongyeon.” Jeongyeon found herself coughing again, choking on her seaweed stew. 

After that short-lived interaction, it shifted everything. For some reason, Jeongyeon just happen to always bump into Nayeon first thing in the morning, while she was on her way to pick up Dahyun, Nayeon was with her dog, walking around the village. “Good morning, Jeong!” Kookeu stopped then barked, as if to greet her too. 

Then when she fetched the midget from school, Nayeon was there too to pick up Chaeyoung. And for some bizarre reason, Jeongyeon found herself driving the four of them to the bakery, now Yujin was serving them some hot pretzels and melon bread. Nayeon snickered and whispered something to Chaeyoung. She then held Yujin’s apron and said, “I demand you to tell your boss it’s on the house, unnie.”

Yujin slowly eyed Jeongyeon who was at the counter, “Uh…” Dahyun nodded approvingly, giving her a thumb’s up and Nayeon amusingly watched the whole thing, Jeongyeon had to concede. How could she not when Nayeon was beaming brightly like that. “Fine. Whatever.”

Then it became a thing. Their thing. It’s now a routine but not really verbally agreed one it just sort of happened. After driving the kids home, or back to the pharmacy, Jeongyeon then would drive Nayeon back to their house. This was a streak until the third day when they were nearing Nayeon’s house she suddenly said she wanted to see Jeongyeon’s house. The latter accidentally stepped on the brakes wide-eyed, she questioningly turned to Nayeon. “I’ve never been to your house right?”

“Yeah, but have you ever been to Momo’s? Jihyo’s house? Why- why…” Jeongyeon coughed and moved the gear, “Why would you want to see my house?” Nayeon shrugged and laughed. “Nothing. Why? Are you hiding something from me?” She teasingly elbowed Jeongyeon.

She had no choice, what Im Nayeon wants, Im Nayeon gets.

  
  


“Oh my god? Your cat is so cute!” Nayeon immediately snuggled Jeongyeon’s cat, Bami. The cat purred and meowed in confusion. She spent the whole afternoon playing with her cat, while Jeongyeon proceeded to clean her house. 

That became their new routine. After dropping the dwarves back to their moms, Nayeon would stay at her house for the whole afternoon. They watched a movie Nayeon picked when her phone rang in the middle of the film. The protagonist was now having his memories removed. 

“Oh, Mina?” Nayeon stood and went to the kitchen. Jeongyeon couldn’t hear anything and resisted to eavesdrop. She focused on watching the movie instead. Nayeon returned shortly after the call, snatching the bowl of popcorn from Jeongyeon's lap. 

Jeongyeon nonchalantly asked while grabbing a fistful of popcorn. “Mina called?” Nayeon turned to her and hummed. “Yeah, she asked if I’m free, she wanted to invite me for dinner at their house.” Nayeon answered, settling comfortably on the couch. Jeongyeon peeked on the clock. “It’s almost six. Aren’t you leaving?”

Nayeon eyed her, suppressing a smile. “Are you kicking me out?” Jeongyeon stiffened and reddened. “No- No. Not at all. It… It’s just uh… you know? It’s getting dark and- and Mina’s house is quite far from mine so yeah.”

Jeongyeon closed her eyes and cringed.  _ God, that was so awkward.  _ Nayeon finally broke into laughter. “Oh, Jeongyeon, you are so cute.” blush crept all over Jeongyeon’s face and Nayeon’s erupted into laughs once more. 

When she recovered from laughing, now slowly evening her breaths, Nayeon calmly answered Jeongyeon’s thoughts as if she could read them. “I told her I can’t go because you’re cooking me some dinner.” 

“I see.” Jeongyeon nodded until realization dawned to her, “I am what now?!”

Nayeon emptied the bowl and lied down, her legs resting on the armrest of the couch while she found comfort on Jeongyeon’s lap. “Yeah, dinner. But let me sleep for a sec.” She closed her eyes and really took a nap. On Jeongyeon’s lap. While her favorite movie was playing. Yes, in Jeongyeon’s house. 

* * *

For the past two weeks, Jeongyeon couldn’t believe the turn of events. They really went from babysitting Dahyun to Nayeon eating dinner at her house. And in a short span of time, Jeongyeon learned more things about Nayeon. Like how clingy she could get, how she loved snacks, she could take thousands of pictures too. (She should’ve guessed that one, Nayeon posts on instagram frequently and changes her profile picture hourly.)

Nayeon was easily scared too. They were watching a horror film and in every jumpscare, Nayeon never failed to scream in her ear. They also watched a comedy and Jeongyeon’s arm was sore because Nayeon hits her every time the characters throw a funny punchline. Nayeon loved to take naps too. She napped often before dinner, sometimes, she helped in cooking, oftentimes she’s just there taking pictures for her ig stories. 

This sudden close interaction with nayeon was never foreseen by Jeongyeon. She has learned things about Nayeon that probably the others didn’t know. It gave her some sort of fuzzy, warmth, spreading all over her body. 

Jeongyeon was cooking some kimchi pancakes because Nayeon was craving for it. Nayeon was sitting on the dining table and she could feel her searing gaze. “Jeong?” She gave her a small hum and continued cooking. 

“Remember during graduation you left some bouquets on my desk?” Jeongyeon snapped her neck, turning to meet Nayeon’s mischievous smile. “How- How did you know that?” She didn;t put her name on the bouquet and made sure she was the first one to arrive in their room so it should’ve been a fool proof plan. “Well, I might have been following you around that day.”

_ Nayeon did what? _

“Are you just going to keep standing there or you’re gonna help your part timer to give us bread?” Jihyo was glaring at her, with Dahyun’s face pressed against the glass, watching Yujin struggle to pick the cinnamon bread she had been pointing. “Not that one, THAT one. Unnie, that THAT one. No, the other one!”

Jeongyeon sighed again and defeatedly went behind the counter, wore her apron and hairnet, then stole the tongs from Yujin. “Let me do that.” She pointed her tongs over 10 cinnamon breads before Dahyun finally decided to just get a custard bread.

“Here you go.” Jihyo frowned as she gave her card. “You okay?” Right, Nayeon might have unconsciously revealed that she knew about Jeongyeon’s little crush and she knew for a long time that wreaked havoc to Jeongyeon’s system so badly that she couldn’t sleep a wink last night. And she was following her around that day? What for?

The mere thought of Nayeon giving her attention like the one she was getting right now, it shook Jeongyeon to the core she didn’t even know how she survived these past few weeks. The tiny voice whispering inside her brain, echoing all over her murky thoughts as she shifted on her bed the whole evening, that little hopeful thought of Nayeon might also like her the way she- no, no, no.  _ Don’t be a fool, Jeong.  _

“I’ll take that as a no.” Jihyo frowned deeper, Dahyun sat on one of the tables and nibbled on her bread. Jeongyeon took a very long sigh and returned her card. The way Nayeon could turn her peaceful life in chaos without even doing anything at all, she just had this effect on Jeongyeon. 

And really, Jeongyeon could never hide anything to Jihyo, this woman reading people like an open book you would think was a psychic in her past life. She had to tell her everything. “You’re both idiots.” Jihyo finally spoke since Jeongyeon started venting to her, she was rapidly typing on her phone.”No, seriously. You two are idiots and even used my child as an excuse to finally take a leap.” She continued typing. “I really don’t know what stopped you from confessing before and why Nayeon took so long waiting when she could’ve made a move instead. I- I just can’t.” She rolled her eyes and tucked her phone away. 

“What do you mean?” Jeongyeon asked, completely lost. Jihyo tiredly stared at her friend and groaned. “Oh god, Jeong.” she wasn’t able to ask further because her phone started buzzing. It was Nayeon. 

“Right, that’s my cue. We’re leaving.” Jihyo wiggled her brows, lips moving weirdly as she stood. Jeongyeon frowned and moodily asked, “You need to see a doctor, Hyo.” Now standing, looming over Jihyo as she followed her around. Jihyo snickered and dragged Dahyun with her. “You can thank me later, Jeong.”

The bakery’s chimes rang as they left, with Jeongyeon reading Nayeon’s terrifying two word message, it must be the absence of excessive characters and emojis that she found the, “let’s talk” text 

Nayeon told Jeongyeon to meet her at their high school. Jeongyeon found her standing before the oldest tree right by the entrance of the school. It was something their principal always bragged about, the century-old tree that bloomed purple petals during spring then withered to die when the winter begins. 

“Sorry. How long have you been waiting?” Jeongyeon's tentative steps drew Nayeon away from the tree. “Not as long as you.” 

Jeongyeon froze and felt like a bucket of ice was poured all over her.  _ Goddammit, Jihyo.  _ Nayeon was looking at her funny. “Oh god Jeong, you should’ve seen your face!” Nayeon broke into laughter. Jeongyeon watched her eyes crinkle, losing her shit over it, while slapping her right arm. Hard. Nayeon got huge hands. They were larger than Jeongyeon and could really warm up her hands. 

Nayeon pulled her down and now they sat on the bench, one of the five others surrounding the tree. Their hands were interlaced, Nayeon hadn’t let go of her hand yet. Jeongyeon loved the feeling, although she was a little worried it’d get clammy. “I’m leaving tomorrow..” 

Jeongyeon slowly turned to her. Nayeon looked down and inspected their tangled hands. “I have to go back to Seoul,” then she finally looked at her in the eye. “So if you have something to say to me-”

No, Jeongyeon couldn’t form words cohesive enough to completely tell Nayeon what she feels. So she closed her eyes and bridged their gap then kissed her. It was instantaneous, Nayeon responded with the same fervor. She tasted sweet, like sugary and tangy. Nayeon smelled so good. She had never been this close to her and never in her whole life she imagined she would be. 

She gasped for air and pulled away. Nayeon bit her lip and sheepishly glanced at her. She cleared her throat and muttered. “I just called you here to say goodbye. I wasn’t able to say that a few years ago.”

“You are really leaving?”

Nayeon nodded. And looked at the old tree again. Jeongyeon just kissed her though, “And before you say anything, that kiss was incredible but it didn’t change my mind, Jeongyeon.” Red tinted Jeongyeon’s cheeks. And they turned even redder when Nayeon cupped her face. “Stop sulking…”

Jeongyeon sighed. Nayeon squished her cheeks together, forcing a pout. “When are you coming back?”

“Silly, I’ll just be picking some of my stuff there and come back here.” Jeongyeon’s face slowly lit up only to frown and removed Nayeon’s hands on her. “Did you just play with my feelings?!”

Nayeon shrugged. “Not my fault. At least YOU confessed to me, not the other way around. It would ruin my records.” She stood and started walking. Jeongyeon followed her, “I didn’t confess!”

Nayeon stopped and tilted her head cockily. “I don’t know about you but I surely don’t shove my tongue down our friends’ throats to bid goodbye, do you?”

Jeongyeon groaned and red was all over her cheeks and a fuzzy warmth spread all over her body. “You are insufferable, Nayeon.”

“Yeah, love you too.”


End file.
